


Efflorescence

by Nymphadorable



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Best Friends, Dry Humping, Dudley Dursley Has a Magical Child, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Fondling, Forgiveness, Friends to Lovers, Good Dudley Dursley, Post-Deathly Hallows, Post-Deathly Hallows AU, Redeemed Dudley Dursley, Redemption, Romance, Soulmates, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 13:02:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14261553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymphadorable/pseuds/Nymphadorable
Summary: There is something different about Dudley Dursley's daughter Daisy. Desperate to protect her and searching for answers, Dudley finds himself on the doorstep of the only person who can provide them, his cousin Harry.





	1. Prologue: Dudley, Daisy and the Debut

**Author's Note:**

> All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. Thank you, Momma Jo, I wouldn't be here without you. This work was not done for profit. It's simply a work of love. 
> 
> Thank you to my betas Ladygrangerdanger & Keep_Calm_And_Expecto_Patronum, you guys have gifted me with so much of your time, your input, and and are a constant source of joy. You two are the best. 
> 
> I also want to thank Allie, Lyndsay, Danny & the Potterotica Podcast for introducing me to the world of Potterotica, and somehow managing to expand my love for the Potterverse.
> 
> This is my first story & it is a work in progress. I will release the newer chairchapters as I finish them.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is something different about Dudley Dursley's daughter Daisy. Desperate to protect her and searching for answers, Dudley finds himself on the doorstep of the only person who can provide them, his cousin Harry.

A warm summer breeze ruffled Dudley's golden hair as he stood beneath the wisteria-draped archway, afraid to walk down the winding stone pathway towards the cozy Tudor cottage, but unable to turn back. He hadn't seen his cousin since Harry and his pretty ginger wife's wedding, and although they'd made amends, guilt still clawed at his chest whenever he attempted to reach out. Looking down into the seafoam eyes of the perfect little girl resting in his arms, he wondered, How can he ever truly forgive me? How can I? What have I done?

A tiny pink hand reached up, holding his chin and comforting him. “Okay, Daddy?” the tiny, tinkling voice asked. 

Pride swelled in Dudley's chest; drawing his daughter up, he leaned down to place a tender kiss on her fiery curls, quietly whispering against her forehead, “Daddy's okay, blossom.”

Clearing his throat and the worry lodged there, Dudley squared his broad shoulders, and clutching his little girl closer, strode up to the welcoming porch. As soon as he stepped up to it, and before his courage could abandon him, Dudley rapped his knuckles against the red varnished door. 

Just as the thought began to chew at the back of his mind that perhaps he should turn around and flee home, the ornate knob turned, and the door swung open to reveal a familiar bespectacled face and mop of inky, disheveled hair. 

“Dudley?” Harry asked, a confused look spreading across his face.

“Hey, Harry,” Dudley replied with an embarrassed smile. “I'm sorry to come calling so late and without any warning.”

Leaning against the door frame, Harry ran a hand through his already mussed locks, and carefully replied, “It's alright, mate. Is everything okay? Has something happened?”

Looking into his cousin's green eyes Dudley sighed, exhausted. Unconsciously stroking his daughter's back he chewed at his lower lip and responded, “Yes. No... Honestly? I don't know.” Nervously, he drew the blanket from over his baby girl's head and shoulders, and pleading with his eyes, spoke barely above a whisper, “I have someone I need to introduce you to.”

Looking down into pale green eyes that unmistakably looked like his and his mother Lily's, Harry nodded and stepped to the side, murmuring, “You had better come in.”

***

A confused frown furrowed Dudley's brow as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing before him. Covering the mantle of the fireplace, and the walls to either side and above it, were dozens of picture frames. It wasn't the frames themselves that were perplexing him, or even the subjects of them, which were clearly Harry and his wife Ginny’s friends and family; no, what really had thrown him for a loop was that they all seemed to be animated. Moving closer to get a better look, he was quickly able to surmise that these were not the ordinary digital frames you could pick up at any electronics store in London, they seemed to be actual photos that had somehow been brought to life. 

The tiny hand of the little girl who'd given him a new perspective on life reached out towards one of the photos on the mantle, drawing his attention to it. The picture was of two handsome ginger fellows, clearly twins, standing side by side with arms hanging over each other's shoulders, standing in what looked to be some kind of sweets shop. The slightly taller of the two was reaching out, extending a lolly with a mischievous grin gracing his face. Dudley was unable to draw his eyes away from the pair, even as he heard the soft footfall of Ginny approaching him from behind, only turning to face her as her hand gently grazed his shoulder. 

“Who's this?” the redhead asked with a welcoming smile, her affectionate gaze falling on the wide-eyed toddler in his arms. Harry came to stand beside his bride, wrapping an arm around her waist, his eyes following hers to the little girl being cradled by his cousin. Clearing his throat, Dudley took a steadying breath, looking down at his petal before drawing his eyes back up to the pair before him. 

“This is my daughter, Daisy,” Dudley replied with a tenderness that Harry had never heard come from his cousin before. “Daisy,” he cooed, “Say hi to your cousin Harry.”

“Hi Hawwy,” the little girl repeated, before looking at Harry's wife and cheerfully confounding the married pair by looking the ginger witch in the eye and addressing her as well, “Hi Ginny.”

After sharing a startled look with his wife, Harry looked back at Dudley with a confused expression and asked, “How does she know who Ginny is?” 

Crestfallen, Dudley's eyes moved down to his daughter, tears suddenly filling them. “I thought maybe she was like you...” he trailed off, choking back a sob. Looking back up at his cousin, distraught, Dudley began to cry, startling Harry into speechlessness. Ginny moved to reach out to the taller man in order to comfort him, but stopped short when the toddler squirmed in his embrace, and began stroking his face. 

“‘S’okay, Daddy,” she soothed him. “They don't undewstan. Hawwy want to help. Ginny want to help. Try ‘gain, Daddy.”

Holding Daisy tighter, and rocking her back and forth, Dudley dragged a hand across his cheeks, nose and eyes while regaining his composure. 

Voice thick with barely controlled panic he looked back to his cousin, “So you can't all read minds then?” he uttered the question that he was most terrified of.

Realization dawned on Harry and Ginny gasped before leaving his side and rushing to Dudley, wrapping both him and his daughter in a protective hug. Dudley froze at her sudden change in demeanor, before months of terror began to drain from his body, and he relaxed into her embrace. 

“No, mate,” came the cautious reply. “That's an extremely rare skill called Legilimency. Most witches and wizards who practice it spend years learning the ins and outs of the art,” Harry told his cousin, grateful when the panic had finally left Dudley's eyes. Ginny ran her fingers through Daisy’s hair, looking at the little girl with fascination, before drawing her gaze up to Dudley's. She softly patted his arm, and drew him over to the couch. He nodded to her in thanks, grateful for the opportunity to sit down, as the revelation had weakened his knees. 

“Dudley, being born with this gift is incredibly rare. Queenie Kowalski is the only witch or wizard that I know of, that's been born with it in the past two centuries,” she gently confided in the big man, sitting down beside him. Looking back over her shoulder, Ginny spoke to her husband, “Only the most powerful witches and wizards are natural born Legilimens. Even then, it was only a few, not all of them.” Harry looked with concern to his cousin and the little girl in his arms.

“She's going to need a lot of guidance, Duds. Bad things happen when a magical child's abilities are repressed,” Harry warned. Dudley nodded, looking down at Daisy with reverence. 

“Of course,” he croaked, lovingly brushing the copper ringlets from her face. “We will do anything, everything that she needs.” 

Harry nodded, relieved when the argument he'd expected never arrived, and crossed the room to sit beside his cousin. He held out his hand to the lovely child staring inquisitively at him and smiled as she wrapped her little fingers around his thumb. Chuckling he leaned down and kissed the girl's knuckles. 

Tossing an arm around Dudley's shoulder, Harry grinned down at the little face smiling up at his, and spoke to her directly, “Hi Daisy, welcome to the family.”


	2. Memories of Times Gone By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fifteen years have passed since Daisy Dursley was officially accepted into the wizarding community. 
> 
> Now with the first day of her Seventh Year just around the corner, Daisy gets ready for the Potter's annual Back To School Party; but first, a trip down memory lane is in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. Thank you, Momma Jo, I wouldn't be here without you. This work was not done for profit. It's simply a work of love. 
> 
> Thank you to my betas Ladygrangerdanger & Keep_Calm_And_Expecto_Patronum, you guys have gifted me with so much of your time, your input, and and are a constant source of joy. You two are the best.

Current Day - Fifteen Years Later

 

Golden sunlight filtered in through the delicate saffron curtains that Nanna Weasley had crocheted for Daisy last Christmas. The resulting effect was a dazzling display of shadows and light, weaving their way across the plush amber, amethyst, ivory and onyx furnishings of the cozy bohemian paradise that she'd created for herself. Standing in the middle of the room before a gilded full-length mirror, stood Daisy, slowly twirling back and forth as she admired the lemon silk of the peasant dress her father had gifted her for just this occasion. 

Her gaze traveled from the following bell sleeves, up to her bare sun-kissed shoulders. From there she followed her collarbone down to the gathered bodice of the dress; her breasts had filled out over the summer, and she briefly wondered if she should put on a bra. The thought was fleeting and she quickly decided against it, she was enjoying the sensation of the soft material against her wide-set, newly-full bust. Smoothing her hands over her ribcage she smiled at the way the dress’s empire cut accented her petite waist, before flaring out into a breezy skirt that stopped mid-thigh, showcasing her long legs. The wedges that she'd chosen to pair with the dress were a matching yellow, covered in tiny white daisies; all together she thought it was the perfect outfit for the annual pre-Hogwarts send off party the Potters held every year, which her and Daddy would be leaving for shortly. 

Stepping away from the looking-glass she turned on the record player beside her dresser and nodded along to the upbeat tempo of her and Teddy's favorite band, The Naughty Nifflers, sitting down at her vanity to find the gold badger print earrings that Teddy had given her for her last birthday. They were her favorite piece of jewelry, not only because she revelled at every chance she was given to show off their house pride, but also because he'd remembered her talking about how cute she thought their little paws were, and had then gone out of his way to have them made for her. He was always doing sweet little things like that, and it was one of the many reasons she'd grown to love him so. 

As she fastened the cherished trinkets to her earlobes, her eyes glazed over with some of her favorite memories of times that they'd shared. 

***

Daisy was five, and although Professor McGonagall had become a regular fixture in her life, she was still afraid to be starting lessons so soon. Teddy on the other hand, sharing none of her apprehension, was beside himself with excitement, his hair a riotous rainbow of color as they sat on their parents’ laps in the Headmistress’s office. 

“So I’ll be able to hear and talk to Daisy in our heads, like she does to me?” Teddy’s question sounded ecstatic.

Daddy stiffened beneath her and she patted the hand he had resting on her tummy. Why would that upset him, she wondered? 

“That's right, Mr. Lupin,” the older witch replied with a great deal of patience. “But first we will focus on you being able to stop her from accessing your thoughts.” 

Teddy scoffed, immediately putting an end to the sadness that had begun to tug at Daisy. “Why would I want to do that?” came Teddy's indignant reply. “She's my best friend.”

The adults all shared knowing glances, each thinking of different reasons why he might want to. None of the thoughts made sense to her, but she could hear them all the same. 

“Uh, hello! I'm right here!” Daisy responded with more sass than she would normally show to one, let alone four, adults. 

“Yeah!” Teddy shouted, understanding that she needed a defender without knowing why. “Daisy is right here!”

Later on that night as their parents were discussing transportation plans, Daisy and Teddy lay on their backs, staring up at the ceiling of their makeshift blanket fort. Both were excited to begin their lessons the following Monday, and refusing to listen to their parents earlier protestations, they made a pact. From that day forward, neither would ever blame the other for reaching out and speaking or listening to the other's mind. They could always put up barriers if they wanted, but they would never shut the door completely. It was a promise they both would keep. 

***

Three years had passed, and while Teddy had seemed to excel at his lessons in Legilimency and Occlumency, Daisy had hit a wall. She'd mastered the ability to control what she did and did not share with others, but try as she might she could not shut their thoughts out. Professor McGonagall had stepped out to give the pair a break, and with the Headmistress gone Daisy broke down in a fit of tears. 

Teddy rushed over and sat down in front of her, reaching out to take her hand in his. “Daisy, what's the matter?” 

She shook her head, unable to form a response around the ball of hurt that was lodged in her throat. 

He reached out and stroked her arm. “May I?” He asked softly. 

She nodded, grateful when she felt the familiar tug between their minds. He closed his eyes, and stilling, he took in her thoughts, worries, and memories. 

“Oh,” came his simple reply as he quietly stifled a laugh. 

She looked up, shocked that he would find any of this funny. 

“No, Daisy, it's not that. You're just so smart and you make everything look so easy, that sometimes I forget you're learning this too.” The sincerity in his eyes revealed the truth behind his words and she nodded. 

“So you've been looking at this like it's a door you need to close, but it's simpler than that,” he continued. “Instead of trying to shut the doors to the Great Hall, just imagine you're lowering the volume on the radio.”

Of course. It was so simple. Why hadn't she thought of that? 

Eagerly she closed her eyes, and picturing that she was turning down the dial to the record player at home, she slowly began to silence the murmur of his thoughts until finally, for the first time in her life, she sat in perfect silence. The happiness of her success was overwhelming, and surprising them both, she opened her eyes and threw her arms around Teddy in a tight embrace. Teddy chucked joyously before returning the hug, rocking her back and forth. 

***

The crowd was thick and bustling in Diagon Alley as families popped in and out of shops, doing last minute shopping for their children before school officially started the next evening. The crush of bodies and new experiences had both Daisy and her Gran Petunia standing firmly in place, overwhelmed by the sights that surrounded them.

Daisy had been to this magical part of London before, hidden from the prying eyes of muggles, but she'd never been here while it was so busy. She was fascinated, longing to explore it all. Her Gran on the other hand was frozen with fear, and for some strange reason, a terrible sense of guilt. 

Daisy had just begun to peak into the threads of her mind long enough to see the incredible grief that her Gran felt for her sister, Harry's mum, and the guilt she felt at her unforgivable failure to both Lily and Harry, when Teddy ran up to the pair. Distracted by his sudden arrival she let the the threads slip away, giggling as he swept her up into a tight embrace, spun her around, and placed her gently back onto the cobblestone sidewalk. 

“Daize! You've got here just in time! We're going to get our wands!” He exclaimed with infectious merriment. 

Before she could respond, Harry and Ginny had joined them. 

“Hi Harry! Hi Ginny! We're getting our very own wands?!” She gushed, looking up to her makeshift aunt and uncle with unrestrained glee. But her joy was quickly quelled as she witnessed the thunderous look that Harry had pinned her Gran with. Rage and betrayal poured off of him, and the trail of memories that were ricocheting through his mind left her feeling sick hearted. 

“What are you doing here?” he demanded darkly, his voice deathly quiet. “Where is Dudley?”

“He's parking the car,” came her Gran’s soft reply. “I asked if I could come, if I could buy Daisy's... supplies,” she faltered. 

Losing his temper he shouted thunderously, “Does Vernon know?!” Ginny reached out then, putting a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder. He shrugged her off, and with green eyes flashing like his lightning scar, he advanced on the silver-tipped blonde. Standing over her he hissed, “Does he?!” His voice broke then, as tears began to stream down his cheeks. 

Daisy stood dumbfounded, heart breaking as stress broke down her training, and the memories of both of the hurt grown-ups who she loved so dearly assaulted her. All the years of horrible treatment Harry had suffered. The resentment Petunia felt at being the lesser sister. The longing for love and acceptance Harry had craved. The fear of her husband that Petunia had felt as he unbuckled his belt, warning her not to bring up wizarding school one more time. 

It was a war of emotions and secrets, and suddenly it halted as with more command than any eleven-year-old should possess Teddy shouted, “Enough!” Everyone stopped, looking down at the young wizard whose hair and eyes were pulsing a dangerous combination of crimson and black. Clearing his throat he took a calming breath and looked up at the older man. 

“I'm sorry, Harry,” he continued, embarrassed. “So is she. She knows how much she hurt you. She's too afraid to ask for forgiveness and doesn't think she deserves it anyway. But, Pa, she's already lost her sister and you; she didn't want to lose Dudley and Daisy too.”

Turning to face Daisy's Gran Petunia, Teddy reached out and took her hand. “The things you did, they were terrible, but no one is beyond redemption. Harry and Ginny always tell us that. Dudley, too.” He smiled that brilliant smile of his, and Petunia ran her other hand through his messy hair, her face the picture of amazement. “You should tell him,” Teddy urged softly. Squeezing his hand in hers, her gran nodded, looking up to meet Harry's eyes. 

“Vernon and I divorced a little less than nine years back,” she admitted softly, the pain of the memory still fresh. “His bias... well, both of ours really, it had already cost me a relationship with your mother. I lost her, and then through my own stupid behavior I lost you. I just let you walk through that door that day. You could have died and it would have been my fault. I never even told you that I love you.” Her voice cracked. 

Harry looked at Petunia, truly looked at her, for the first time in over a decade. Confusion and hurt were clear in his eyes, but somewhere behind them there lay hope. As the two adults slowly came together in a tentative hug, Daisy looked to Teddy and he gave her a tender smile. Her father had joined them then, the reunion awkward, neither Gran or Harry mentioning the scene that had just taken place. 

And as the broken but healing family made its way to Ollivander's Wand Shop where an extremely rare golden elder wand with a length of twelve-and-three-quarters inches and a core of thunderbird tail feather would fly straight off of a shelf and into her hand, her mind wandered to Teddy. He'd done it. He'd cast the spell perfectly, breaking his godparents’ and the school's rules. He'd cast the spell to be used against not only two adults, but a wizard and a muggle. And he'd cast it for her. He sensed her pain, and not caring about the consequences he'd taken action to stop it, because he could not tolerate her hurting. 

It was in that moment that Daisy began to feel the first blossoms of love growing inside her chest.

***

The knock on her door pulled Daisy back to reality. 

“I'm coming!” she called, running her fingers one last time through her curls, separating them just so. She dabbed a light pink gloss onto her pretty lips, smiling at the lovely girl in the mirror in front of her. Standing, she grabbed Adela, her wand, from where she was perched on the nightstand and opened the door. 

Her father stood there smiling and leaned down to place a soft kiss on the crown of her head. “You look beautiful, Petal,” he told her; a look of pride was painted across his face. 

“Thank you, Daddy,” she replied with a grin and hugged him tight. 

“Trunk is all packed?” he confirmed. 

“Yes, Daddy,” she nodded. 

“Hermes is in his cage?” he asked. 

Before she could respond, her handsome black barn owl was rattling his cage in response to his name. She chortled and then clicked her tongue twice, nodding approvingly at her sweet boy as he settled from where he was perched behind her. 

“It won't be long, love. We'll be at Teddy's in a jiffy,” she cooed adoringly to him. 

“Alright, sweetheart, let's get this all downstairs. The gentleman in question is waiting by the fireplace,” her dad informed her with one last squeeze. 

And so it was, with butterflies in her stomach and a song in her heart, she followed her father downstairs to her lifetime best friend, and longtime crush, Edward Remus Lupin.


	3. The Calm Before...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friends, family, and a massive crush. Daisy thinks she knows what to expect from the Potter's annual party. 
> 
> Our young Legilimens is about to find out that sometimes reading minds leads to more questions than answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. Thank you, Momma Jo, I wouldn't be here without you. This work was not done for profit. It's simply a work of love.
> 
> Thank you to my betas Ladygrangerdanger & Keep_Calm_And_Expecto_Patronum, you guys have gifted me with so much of your time, your input, and and are a constant source of joy. You two are the best.

“Daddy... Do we have to watch it again?! We do this every year!” Daisy whined as she lowered herself down onto the plush rug beside Teddy, a blush spreading across her cheeks as the exposed skin of her thigh grazed against his denim-clad one, temporarily distracting her from her pleas. 

Harry chuckled in response, casting a quick glance Dudley's way as the two men placed the large pensieve on the ornate coffee table in the center of the Potters’ living room. As soon as the stone basin had been centered, Daisy's father reached down and, softly pulling on one of her dark copper ringlets, placed a tender kiss on the top of her head. She knew what he was thinking before the words even left his mouth, and as his love rolled over her she relaxed. 

“I'm just so proud of you, blossom,” Dudley used her pet name. “You know I love watching your sorting ceremony, especially because we don't have a video that I can watch at home. Tomorrow you'll be headed back to school and I won't see you until the Christmas holiday. Can you humor your old dad, just this one time more?” he asked. The full force of his adoration wrapped itself around Daisy, like her favorite black and yellow cashmere jumper. 

“Okay, Daddy, just for you,” she murmured, smiling. 

With a nod from Harry, Ginny unstopped the vial and began to pour the swirling silver thread of memory into the shimmering liquid below. Beside her, Teddy wrapped his fingers around hers and squeezed Daisy's hand, before giving her his most dashing grin. He was so handsome to look at that it was nearly painful. His eyes were a startling sapphire blue, and today his hair was a shock of midnight waves, falling to the collar of his v-necked black tee. Godric, he’s lovely, she mused, very nearly forgetting where she was and why until he gave her a lopsided grin and quirked one brow, looking at her curiously before glancing back at the table before them.

Coming back to the moment, she shook herself, squeezing his hand in reply, before turning to face forward once more. Together along with the boy she had secretly grown to love and the rest of her darling family, Daisy leaned down to press her face into the pensieve below and watched the past unfold before her eyes.

***

Nerves coiled their way around Daisy’s stomach as she sat on the old oak stool before the curious eyes of her soon-to-be classmates in the Great Hall, attempting to take in the new scenery. Smoothing out the new black robes that her Gran Petunia had bought for her, she idly wondered which house she'd be sorted into. Would she be a Gryffindor like Daddy's cousin Harry? If not, what would the sorting hat have in store for her? Taking a deep breath, she turned to the slate-haired headmistress she'd come to know so well over the past eight years of her life, and nodded, raising her chin up defiantly as the hat was lowered onto her head. 

“What an old soul,” the ancient voice of the pointed leather headpiece rasped into her ears. Daisy smiled and colored prettily. No matter how many times grown-ups said or thought this, she was always a little embarrassed by the implication. The compliment was nearly always tainted by a touch of fear, which saddened her; she didn’t want anyone to fear her. 

“Kind and generous, but brave too,” it continued. “You possess an innate power and talent, the equal of which I have not seen in many, many years.” The garment seemed to shrink down on itself, as though attempting to better examine her. She sat completely still, transfixed, and gave her trust completely over to the buttery piece of hide. “But most of all you are loyal, aren't you, young lady? Not one to easily turn your back on those you love. Well, that makes this easy.”

The hat drew itself up to its full size, and decreed with a booming shout, “HUFFLEPUFF!!”

The hall exploded with applause, and Daisy’s eyes were drawn towards the long table full of yellow, gold, and black clad students screaming, shouting, cheering and clapping at the news. Searching the crowd, her eyes fell on the boy with artfully messy teal hair that was grinning ear to ear, waving at her and patting a spot at the table beside him; her best friend Teddy.

“Thank you, sir,” Daisy replied cordially to the hat as Professor McGonagall removed it from her head, smiling fondly. She jumped down off of the stool, and with a little skip went bounding to her new house and soon-to-be second family.

***

With a gasp Daisy sat upright, unable to keep the wide smile from breaking across her face as she left the memory behind. Looking around the room at her family and friends, she was struck by the joy on their faces and the kindness of their thoughts. Here at home, she didn't have to hide her gifts, nor was she judged for having them.

Her father held his hand down to her so she could stand, and as soon as she was on her feet, he wrapped her in the security of his arms. Dudley held her tight, and she nuzzled her nose into his shirt, breathing in the comforting scent of pipe tobacco and wool that would forever be imprinted onto her mind as his. They stood like that for a few moments, with him stroking her hair and her listening to the soft thumping of his heart. Before long she was distracted by the jumbled mess of his emotions and the thoughts running through his head. It was always like this when she was going back to Hogwarts. He was filled with worry and wonder, happiness and melancholy, pride and love. Focusing all her energy in the simple act, Daisy wrapped her father in comfort, quelling his few negative thoughts and emotions. I'm going to miss you, blossom, Dudley thought. 

Before she could stop herself the words were spilling out of her mouth, “Oh, Daddy, I'm going to miss you too!” She clung tighter to him, fighting off tears, and was relieved not to see the hesitation in his face that was so often painted across the faces of others when she slipped up. She didn't mean to access others’ thoughts, she just did, she always had, for as long as she could remember. Usually she was at least able not to comment on them. It was exhausting forcing herself not to and she fought headaches regularly at school where she tried her best to keep her skills in check; the students in the other houses were less understanding than her fellow Hufflepuffs. 

Dudley smiled down at her, and pecking her on her forehead, softly reassured her, “I love you, Daisy... Now go on upstairs. I want you to double check that you’re all packed and that you've not forgotten anything at home. Then you’re to go to bed while I visit with Harry, Ginny and the others. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” Laughing, Daisy rolled her eyes before standing on her tippy-toes to kiss her father's cheek. 

“I love you too, Daddy,” she said, complying. Stepping back she looked at Harry and Ginny, standing arm and arm, grinning in that annoying way that parents were known to do. Behind them, the sun was barely setting outside. 

Ugh, it's not even that late, she heard as Teddy directed his thoughts towards her. Glancing over her shoulder she smiled at him, brightening as he smirked in return. Turning back around, she walked up to the older witch and wizard, hugging them each in turn. 

“Night, Harry; night, Ginny,” she chirped. “Thank you for dinner and the trip down memory lane.”

“Of course, dear, you're more than welcome.” Ginny beamed as she gave Daisy a gentle squeeze. 

“Goodnight, kiddo,” Harry replied, kissing her cheek. “You too, boys,” he directed to her cousins and Teddy. 

Daisy turned and went to her Gran, marveling at how relaxed she looked in comparison to seven years prior, grateful that her and Harry had come to a deserved but comfortable truce. 

“I love you, Gran,” she whispered as she leaned down to recieve her customary kiss on the cheek. 

“I love you, Daisy darling,” her grandma replied, dabbing the tears in her eyes with a lace kerchief. 

“Goodnight, everyone,” Daisy said as she waved and smiled to the others in the room. She walked towards Teddy, whose eyes were dancing playfully, with her heart in her stomach, and couldn't help but snicker as Albus and James groaned in unison behind her. 

***

Turning the corner, Teddy fell into step bedside her, and as they climbed the stairs together, she felt the familiar sensation of his hand slipping into hers. As they came to the first floor landing they turned right, walking down the hallway in the same perfect synchronization that they'd always seemed to share. Daisy stopped at the door to her guest room, her eyes cast down, as with a small flair of sadness she moved to free her hand from Teddy’s.

Her heart felt as though it had stopped beating when he tightened his grasp around hers, running his thumb back and forth over her knuckles, and pressed his thoughts into her mind. Not yet. Just a couple more minutes, Daize. She looked up into his eyes, the same color as the dusk pouring in from beyond the window down the hall. 

“Ted?” she asked, her voice coming out breathily at the sight of him. The thin cotton of his shirt stretched taut over his broad shoulders and muscular arms, and she could see the smallest sliver of downy golden hair trailing down past his belt buckle as he drew one arm above his head to lean against the door frame. He pinned her into place with his gaze. She flushed at the sensation of the new emotions that were rolling off of him, caressing her more intimately than any pair of hands ever had. This was a side of him she'd only ever dreamed of, and occasionally had sensed when he had fallen asleep in the Hufflepuff common room and himself was dreaming. 

“I've missed you this summer,” his deep voice curled around her as he reached his hand out and brushed a stray copper curl behind her ear, stroking her cheek. “Everything has been so dull without you,” Teddy continued. The breath hitched in her throat and she trapped her lower lip between her teeth, startled by the images that were running rampant through his mind. Surely, he must know that she could see them. Didn't he?

“I've missed you too, Ted,” she replied, confused by why she'd whispered her response. 

He smiled and his scorching gaze left chill-bumps across her skin as it roamed freely over her. Every nerve in her body was standing at attention. Leaning down, he murmured against her ear, “Come find me if you need any help with packing or moving your trunk tomorrow morning,” before placing a feather-soft kiss on her temple. 

She nodded and her large doe-eyes met his in a shocked expression as he straightened and with a wink turned on his heel, retreating to his room. 

Daisy could not wait until tomorrow. Year seven was shaping up to be unlike any other!


	4. Compartments and Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up late and a flirtatious Fifth Year lead to a near disastrous miscommunication. As it turns out, finding the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is the least complicated part of Daisy and Teddy's final trip to Hogwarts. Will the two best friends be able to save their lifelong friendship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. Thank you, Momma Jo, I wouldn't be here without you. This work was not done for profit. It's simply a work of love.
> 
> Thank you to my betas Ladygrangerdanger & Keep_Calm_And_Expecto_Patronum, you guys have gifted me with so much of your time, your input, and and are a constant source of joy. You two are the best.

Daisy paced back and forth across the small space of the unfamiliar compartment. She'd felt foolish passing by the coach that she and Teddy had been sharing since their first trip to Hogwarts seven years earlier, but she couldn't bring herself to enter into it after having witnessed the spectacle between him and Victoire Weasley on the platform outside the Hogwarts Express. The thought of the pretty strawberry-blonde Gryffindor and the way her chest had been pressed flush against Teddy’s, her hands wrapped around his neck, with a seductive smile gracing her rosy lips as she whispered familiarly into his ear was set on replay in her mind. 

She was so confused. Last night she was sure that there had been a spark of something igniting between the two of them, but this morning there he'd been with the partial-veela practically draped around him. It didn't make any sense. She knew she should be happy for him, he was her best friend after all, but he'd never even mentioned being interested in the other girl to Daisy, or even showed a hint of thinking about her in that way. Sorrow clawed its way into her ribcage, and drawing the curtains of the compartment shut, Daisy burst into tears and slumped to the ground, becoming lost in her grief.

Meanwhile, Teddy was in a foul mood of his own. The events of this morning were not how he'd pictured today starting when he'd initially woken up. First he'd overslept, and once he'd rushed through getting dressed and had gotten all his things together, he had come downstairs only to be informed by Harry that Daisy and her dad had already set out to King’s Cross. He'd promised her last night that he would help her and he was kicking himself for not following through. And then there was the Victoire debacle. 

***

When he'd arrived on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters he checked his trunk in and had asked the conductor if Daisy had already boarded. She hadn't, so he set out to find her. He was leaning against a pillar, scanning the crowd for the familiar head of pumpkin curls, when the Weasley girl had approached him. 

“Heya, Teddy,” she'd called to him, standing before him with one hip cocked, batting her overly mascara clad eyelashes at him. 

“Hey, Vicky. I'm sorry, I don't really have time to talk; I'm waiting on someone,” he responded tersely. “Catch up at school?” he offered before turning his attention back to the crowd, figuring his explanation would be sufficient in warding off the fifth year. He was wrong. 

Looking over her shoulder at her two friends and nodding at them in confirmation, Victoire turned back around and quickly advanced on Teddy. He was taken by surprise as she pressed uncomfortably close to him and he'd placed his hands on her waist in an attempt to push some distance between them.

“But Teddy,” she simpered, wrapping her arms around him in a too-close embrace, and leaning in to whisper in his ear, “I've missed you!” He knew she'd had a crush on him for the past few years, but between their age difference and the closeness of their two families, he'd always thought of her more as a little sister; this new approach of hers both confounded and annoyed him. More importantly, he didn't have eyes for anyone else but Daisy. Teddy pushed the younger girl away from him with more force than he intended and cursed under his breath. 

“Vicky! I. Can't. Do. This. Right. Now.” He huffed indignantly, holding her gaze as he enunciated each word. Guilt tugged gently at his chest as she pouted up at him before angrily turning on her heel and returning to her friends who were staring daggers at him, but he had to put an end to this before it got out of hand. He absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair, paling as his eyes caught sight of Daisy, who was hastily retreating onto the train. 

“Fuck,” Teddy muttered, nearly jumping out of his skin as his godfather clapped him on the back and pulled him into a hug. 

“Girl troubles?” Harry asked him, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement as the train's whistle sounded a five minute warning whistle. 

Teddy heaved a great sigh, and hugging the older man confided, “You have no idea.”

“Well, you had better go after her, whoever she is,” Harry returned with a wink. 

Teddy smiled lacklusterly and waved goodbye to his adoptive parents before turning and bounding onto the train. He missed Harry and Ginny’s conspiratorial grins.

“Think they'll tell each other this year?” Ron quipped as he and Hermione joined the other pair. 

“Merlin, I hope so,” Ginny teased. “It's taking them even longer than it took you two.” And together the quartet laughed at the shared memory as they watched the red engine pull out of the station in a cloud of steam. 

***

Confusion set in as Teddy stood in the now empty compartment that he normally shared with Daisy, unable to make sense of her absence. He was sure he'd seen her get on the train this morning. Where is she? The young wizard wondered to himself. 

Shaking his head, he left the room and began making his way down the train, popping his head in to each compartment that had a familiar face, asking if anyone had seen her. Finally, when he was checking in with a group of players from the Gryffindor quidditch team, he got his first break. 

Olivia Wood piped up, “I haven't seen her, but when I was coming back from the lavatory I could have sworn I heard crying coming from a locked compartment two cars down. I figured it was a nervous first year, but nobody replied when I knocked.” A worried crease was knitting the brunette sixth year's brows together. “Want me to come along and check with you?” she asked.

“No, you've been a great help already. I'll figure out what's going on. Thank you, Livs!” Teddy called, before ducking out of the compartment, and dashing down the train. Again, he missed the shared looks of curiosity and amusement as the group of Gryffindors watched him retreat. Trouble in paradise? Olivia mouthed, before they all devolved into fits of giggles. 

***

Teddy slowed as he came to the car in question. It was mostly empty. He stood still, closing his eyes and listening. He heard it then, the muffled sobs coming from the last compartment before the water closet. Teddy quietly walked up to the door and concern swelled in his chest as he realized that he did indeed recognize the voice of the crying girl. He quickly drew his wand, and muttered a quiet, “Alohomora.” Grateful when he heard the telltale click of the door unlocking, he slid the door open and quickly slipped in, before locking it again behind him. 

Turning, panic coursed through his chest as his eyes came to rest on the petite redhead sitting on the floor, knees up to her chest, head bowed and sobbing into her crossed arms. 

“Daisy, what happened?!” came Teddy’s frantic plea, furious at whoever had caused her such pain. “Who did this?” he demanded. I'll kill them! He thought to himself. 

At the sound of his voice she began to cry harder, burying her face deeper into the security of her arms. Teddy watched in horror as she drew away from him, and he lowered himself to the floor before the beautiful witch who'd become such a staple in his life. He knelt before her and untangled the grasp she had on her knees. Winding his arms around her waist, he sat back and easily pulled her onto his lap and into a hug, wiping the tears and strands of stray curls that clung to them from her face. Fear and confusion warred for his attention as she refused to meet his eyes. 

“Daize?” he prompted her more gently this time. “What's going on?” She gasped and hiccuped, before finally raising her glistening aquamarine gaze to his. 

“Why didn't you tell me you liked her?” came her broken and tortured reply. Teddy looked at her confounded, not understanding what she was talking about, as a new batch of tears spilled over her cheeks. Like who? She wasn't making sense. As he'd done countless times before he closed his eyes, focusing hard at practicing the wandless magic that came so easily to her, silently kicking himself when her thoughts came into view. The fifth year was glued to him, and to a passerby it looked as though his hands were wrapped around her waist in an embrace, not attempting to push her away as they actually had been. He was embarrassed by the intimate implication of the scene. It looked bad, especially after his and Daisy's exchange the night before. 

“Oh Daize, no.” His deep voice was quiet in the small space that surrounded them. Pleading. He rested his forehead against hers, and reaching out to the invisible threads that connected them, pressed his thoughts into her mind, replaying the memory from his perspective. Slowly he felt her relax in his arms, her sobs gradually replaced by sniffles. He opened his eyes and held her gaze as he ran one hand soothingly up and down her back, using the other to dry her lovely face once more. 

A flush blossomed across the apples of her cheekbones as she lowered her voice, softly asking him, “So, you aren't interested in Victoire?”

He stifled a relieved laugh. “No, Daize, I'm not,” came his husky response. “There's only one girl that I've ever fancied,” he expanded. His gaze was smoldering as he reached up and drew the tip of a finger over her full, pink pout, mesmerized by how soft and inviting it looked. He brought his lips down close to hers, aching to kiss her, and they softly brushed against her mouth as he finished in a hushed whisper, “I thought I had made that clear last night. I'm sorry if I didn't.” 

He pushed it at her then, opening up his mind up to hers, a flood of memories. 

Second Year, Hufflepuff Common Room: She'd fallen asleep while studying with her head in his lap; looking down at her he realized how badly he wanted to lay down beside her and fall asleep with her in his arms. 

Fourth Year: He'd overheard Marius Carrow joking with some of the other Slytherin boys about how even if Daisy was a freak, she was still totally doable. He'd stormed in and beat the other boy mercilessly, not stopping until he'd split both Carrow's eyebrow and his own knuckles. It was the best thirty points he'd ever lost for Hufflepuff; nobody would disrespect Daisy that way when he was around. 

Fifth Year: Daisy and Teddy were helping Professor Longbottom in the Herbology greenhouse when he'd accidentally tickled an adolescent Lady's Slipper, causing it to sneeze and dust him liberally in bright pink pollen. Daisy had burst into a fit of giggles, and as a grin spread across her face and her eyes sparkled, he'd come to realize that the only thing he really wanted out of life was to always make her as happy as she was in that moment. 

He kept on, rolling wave after wave of memories over her, as he watched an expression of wonder slowly spreading across her delicate features. Finally, he slowed his mental onslaught until he was only thinking of one thing: how hurt he'd been by her pain when he'd found her crying only moments before. 

“There's never been anyone else, Daize,” he confessed. Leaving his mind open for her to find the honesty of his statement on her own, Daisy looked into Teddy’s eyes, her own full of wonder at the sincerity in his words. She leaned into him then, closing her eyes as she pressed her forehead against his, and reaching up she threaded her fingers through the silken strands of his hair. His own eyes fluttered shut and he stifled a moan at the longing that the gentle exploration of her hands sparked in him; for years he'd wanted to share this kind of closeness with her. His heart was pounding so hard against his chest that he was sure that they could both hear it in the silent compartment. She sat up and at the sensation of her retreat he opened his eyes and met her curious gaze head on. 

“Why didn't you ever tell me?” her trembling voice asked quietly. He unwrapped one arm from where it rested around her waist and slowly he glided fingertips up her ribcage and along the length of her arm until he finally intertwined them with hers. With incredible tenderness he removed her hand from his hair, and raising it to his mouth he gently kissed the inside of her wrist, building up the nerve to respond. 

“Same reason as you, I suspect,” came his somber reply. Vulnerability was clear in his eyes as he continued, “I've been terrified you don't feel the same way as I do and the only thing that could possibly be worse than losing the hope that someday you might feel this way too, would be losing you as my best friend.”


	5. Hot Under the Collar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. Thank you, Momma Jo, I wouldn't be here without you. This work was not done for profit. It's simply a work of love.
> 
> Thank you to my betas Ladygrangerdanger & Keep_Calm_And_Expecto_Patronum, you guys have gifted me with so much of your time, your input, and and are a constant source of joy. You two are the best.

Silence had descended upon the compartment, the only disturbance being the soft white noise of rain drops faintly tapping against the window. As the lush emerald countryside rolled past outside, Teddy's words hung thick in the air between the pair inside. Daisy sat astride his lap, shocked into silence by his admission, while one of his hands traced circles on the small of her back and the other entwined with hers against his chest.

His deep blue eyes were watching her with an intensity that caused her stomach to twist, feeling like it was hosting a disco for cornish pixies. Before Daisy knew what she was doing she slid both of her arms around Teddy's broad shoulders and, closing the few inches between the two of them, she leaned in and tentatively pressed her lips to his, kissing him with a soft sigh. He froze beneath her, stunned, as her lips tenderly brushed against his for the first time. They were even softer than he'd imagined, and tasted of earl grey tea and the lemon curd she must have spread on her breakfast crumpet; the combination left him lightheaded. 

Daisy pulled away hesitantly, leaving her slender arms draped about his neck, surprised and slightly embarrassed by her own boldness. She sat there on his lap, a look of longing settling into her eyes as they traveled to his glistening, partially opened mouth. Her expression broke his trance. Teddy cursed under his breath as what he thought had been flawlessly crafted control that he'd spent years building crumbled away. 

Sitting up straighter his hands traveled down her body from where they'd come to rest on the curve of her spine, sliding eagerly over the swell of her perfectly round behind to cup it and hold her in place as he thrust his groin up against hers. He watched her with barely contained need as a blush spread over her cheeks and she gasped, feeling the unyielding evidence of his growing desire pressed intimately against the sheer black lace of her knickers. 

Instinctively she shifted her hips, grinding her pelvis down against his. A ragged groan escaped his throat as her deliciously soft body pressed its warmth against his aching hardness through the layers of clothing that separated them. Her scent filled his nose -- a heady mixture of beeswax and vanilla, with an underlying note of something spicier that was all her own, driving him wild. She smelled like Sunday mass and in that moment all he wanted to do was worship her. 

“Fuck, Daize,” he panted. 

Wrapping one arm fully around her hips and the other about her tiny waist, he tugged her more securely against his body, leaning in and claiming her mouth once more. His lips were gentle but demanding, and as her mouth parted Teddy ran his tongue over the tender flesh of Daisy's lower lip before he finished sliding it into her mouth, coaxing hers into a new and exciting dance. Lacing her fingers through his hair and deepening their kiss, she moaned throatily as a wonderful ache settled at the apex of her femininity. 

“Ted!” She gasped as he pulled up the hem of her mini skirt and squeezed her arse, rocking his hips back and forth beneath her. Untangling her fingers from where they rested in his unruly hair, Daisy tentatively slid her hands down his body and beneath his shirt, tugging it up around his collarbone so she could better explore the smooth expanse of skin covering his perfectly sculpted stomach and chest. Throwing caution to the wind, they allowed themselves to become lost in the moment and each other's embraces.

Lost in their covetous exploration, neither Daisy nor Teddy heard the compartment’s latch release or saw as the door slid open to reveal their Potions Master and Slytherin’s Head of House, Professor Draco Malfoy, shadowed by none other than the rat-faced Marius Carrow.

***

The scene that was unfolding before him was nothing new; he knew from personal experience that it was practically impossible to keep the older students at Hogwarts from finding places to sneak off to in order to traverse each other's bodies. Yet Draco was still surprised to find that the perpetrators who were so brazenly breaking school rules were not only Hufflepuffs, but these Hufflepuffs. The pair were two of the most well-behaved and hardworking students that he had ever taught.

His eyes widened at the sight of the young Dursley girl’s skirt hiked up around her waist, exposing a pair of extremely adult black lace knickers that had already failed at holding the hands of the very-nearly-shirtless Lupin boy at bay. Raising an eyebrow and smirking, the older wizard cleared his throat. 

The pair stopped their heated snogging session and stilled at the sound of the intruder’s voice. Sitting up and pulling both his shirt and her skirt down, Teddy lifted his chin defiantly as he looked over her shoulder to the doorway beyond. A look of panic flitted across Daisy's lovely face and she paled as she watched the shock that slowly spread across her snogging partner’s features.

“Professor,” he nodded respectfully. 

“Mr. Lupin,” returned the familiar voice of their Potions Master. “Miss Dursley,” he continued, when Daisy turned in Teddy's lap to face him.

Draco was amused by the rosy glow that had burst across her cheeks as her eyes had come to meet his, but he became concerned when her color deepened to scarlet and her look of embarrassment was replaced by one of fear as she looked past him. Turning to follow her gaze, the professor found that Marius had ignored his instructions to stay behind in his own compartment when reporting the suspicious noises he'd heard and instead was standing behind him arms-crossed, with an expression of malicious satisfaction spread across his face.

“Mr. Carrow, did I not make myself clear?” he asked sharply.

“N-no Professor... I mean, yes!” the prefect stammered. “You were clear. Very clear!... I just thought you might need some help.” he finished weakly. 

“Oh? So this has nothing to do with your long-standing grudge against me?” came Teddy’s terse reply from inside the compartment, his voice dripping with venom.

Glancing over his shoulder at the normally affable Hufflepuff, Draco found that both Teddy and Daisy had stood up and rearranged their clothing while his back was turned. The tall Metamorphmagus was standing protectively in front his pretty, petite girlfriend. The seventh year’s eyes and hair, most commonly various shades of striking blue, had turned a dangerous shade of black and he wore a murderous expression as he looked past Malfoy to where the Slytherin boy stood. Draco admired the kid’s moxy. The professor turned back to Marius. 

“Mr. Carrow, if I need assistance I will find another professor to provide me with said assistance, not a student.” Draco sneered, pinning the dark haired boy with an icy stare. “Forty points from Slytherin for spying, tattling, defying my instructions, and most vexing of all, causing a perfectly good pot of Assam to go cold while I’m forced to stand here listening to your bickering. Good luck explaining to your fellow Slytherins why they are starting the year so many points behind the other three houses." 

Marius flushed and opened his mouth as though to argue. 

“You are dismissed, Mr. Carrow,” Draco spat at the surly youth. “I would advise you to forget the events of this morning and not to spread gossip. Unless that is, you would like to have further points stripped from the Slytherin house.” Draco raised his eyebrows in a warning. 

Snapping his mouth shut, Marius clenched his jaw before shooting a withering stare over the professor's shoulder at the couple in the compartment beyond and, turning on his heel, he stalked back in the same direction from which he'd come. Draco stood in the doorway, watching as the miserable git of a boy disappeared down the train's corridors. As soon as he was satisfied that he wouldn't be interrupted again, he turned slowly back into the compartment, facing the young couple with an annoyed expression.

Tentatively, Daisy moved out from behind Teddy to stand beside him, her heart swelling as he wrapped a shielding arm around her waist. Unable to meet the frigid silver gaze of their Potions Master, she knew the chiding they were about to receive before the words had even left Professor Malfoy’s mouth. 

“I expected more out of the two of you,” he scolded the pair. “You're Head Boy and Head Girl, for Merlin’s sake! What do you think Professor Sprout would say if she found out the manner of extracurricular activities you two have been participating in?!” he demanded.

The hypothetical phrasing of his lashing was not lost on the pair and the young witch reached out and easily pressed the question in his mind: If Professor Sprout found out? What do you suppose that means, Ted? she asked him silently. 

No clue, came Teddy's near instant reply as he squeezed her hand. I was just wondering the same thing. 

“Enough of that!” their professor barked at them. “Stop conspiring amongst yourselves.”

Unable to stop herself, and true to her Hufflepuff nature, Daisy burst into a fit of giggles. “I'm sorry, Professor,” she mumbled, attempting to control her mirth.

Joy blossomed in Teddy's chest at the familiar tinkling sound, and before he could stop himself, he was chuckling alongside side her. 

“We've been doing it for so long, that we often don't realize we are doing it, sir,” he managed, after laboriously calming himself down. 

The Potions Master looked back and forth between the pair, confounded by the fact that two of his favorite students had been raised either wholly, or at least in part, by Potter. Maybe he's not so bad afterall, he thought to himself for at least the fiftieth time since Daisy and Edward had started in his class their first year. At least they're not sodding Gryffindors. 

Draco sighed and raked a hand through his hair, mussing the perfectly coiffed platinum locks as he watched the tall chameleon of a boy draw the petite ginger girl closer. It was a protective move, not touched at all by the traces of lust he'd witnessed only a few short moments before. What was more, it was a movement filled both with the innocence of youth and the confidence of a lifetime of shared familiarity and love. It made him miss Astoria all the more. 

He watched Daisy as she wrapped her arms tightly around Teddy's waist in response to the embrace and left a chaste kiss on his shoulder, attempting to sooth the young wizard. He wondered if even they had come to realize how in love they were. Furthermore, he wondered if that was the exchange he'd interrupted. 

The air was supercharged with electric tension as the young pair awaited their punishment and, deciding to lean on the gentler demeanor his wife had taught him, the professor cleared his throat. 

“We'll be arriving at Hogwarts within the hour,” he spoke tersely. “As Head Boy and Head Girl, you two are expected to help gather the First Years and hand them over to Groundskeeper Hagrid. Best if you get back to your cabin and get changed into your robes. Leave the door to your compartment open.” The last was a warning. 

“Yes, sir,” Teddy responded, eyes wide with wonder. 

“Th-thank you, sir,” came Daisy's stuttering reply.

Standing to the side, he made room for the young pair to pass him. As the boy squeezed by, Draco placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in close to quietly whisper a fatherly bit of advice. “I do hope there will not be anymore rule breaking. However, if you were my son I would remind you that silencing charms work wonders in helping to evade wandering ears.”


End file.
